Household Safety: Preventing Burns, Shocks, and Fires

From overly hot faucets to tipped-over coffee cups, burns are a potential hazard
in every home. In fact, burns (especially scalds from hot water and liquids) are some
of the most common childhood accidents. Babies and young children are especially at
risk — they're curious, small, and have sensitive skin that needs extra
protection.

Here are some important ways to protect kids from burns — as well as electrical
shocks and household fires — in your home.

In General

Make a fire escape plan with two ways out of the house, plus a designated meeting
place once out of the house. Practice the fire escape plan regularly.

Keep an emergency ladder on upper floors of your home in the event of a fire.
Keep the ladder in or near the room of an adult or older child capable of using it.

Make sure you have a smoke alarm on every level of your home and in each bedroom.
Test smoke alarms monthly and remember to change the batteries twice a year.

Don't smoke inside, especially when you're tired, taking medication that can cause
you to be drowsy, or in bed.

Electrical Equipment and Appliances

Put child-safety covers on all electrical outlets.

Get rid of equipment and appliances with old or frayed cords and extension cords
that look damaged.

Bind excess cord from lamps or other electrical equipment with a twist-tie to
prevent injury from chewing on cords. You also can purchase a holder or spool specially
designed to hide extra cord.

Position television and stereo equipment against walls so small hands don't have
access to the back surfaces or cords. It's best to secure TVs by attaching them to
the wall.

Make sure all wires to seasonal lighting, such as holiday tree lights, are properly
insulated (for example, make sure they don't have exposed or broken wiring). Bind
any excess cord and unplug lights when they're not in use.

Check electronic toys often for signs of wear and tear; any object that sparks,
feels hot, or smells unusual must be repaired or thrown away immediately. Replace
batteries in electronic toys regularly and look for any signs of corrosion in the
toys.

Clean the clothes dryer vent of lint after each use.

Don't run electrical wires under rugs or carpet.

Don't overload electrical sockets.

Keep any decorative items away from windows, doors, and ceilings. Make sure anything
you have near the ceiling is not blocking any sprinklers you may have installed.

If you use a humidifier or vaporizer, use a cool-mist model rather than a hot-steam
one.

Bathroom

Set the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120°F (49°C), or use the
"low-medium setting" — a child can be scalded in 5 seconds in water at 140°F
(60°C). If you're unable to control the water temperature (if you live in an apartment,
for example), install an anti-scald device, which is relatively inexpensive and easily
installed by you or a plumber.

Always test bath water with your elbow or the inside of your wrist before putting
your child in it.

Always turn the cold water on first and turn it off last when running water in
the bathtub or sink.

In the tub, turn kids away from the faucet or fixtures so they're less likely
to play with them or accidentally turn on the hot water.

Install grounded circuit breakers in the bathroom.

Make sure older kids are especially careful when using irons or curling irons.
Unplug these items after use and, when cool, store out of reach of young children.

Kitchen/Dining Room

Have a 3-foot "no play" zone around the stove where kids are not allowed to be.

Don't let a child use a walker in the kitchen (experts strongly discourage any
use of walkers).

Don't drink hot beverages or soup with a child sitting on your lap, or carry hot
liquids or dishes near kids. If you have to walk with hot liquid in the kitchen (like
a pot of soup or cup of coffee), make sure you know where kids are so you don't trip
over them.

Don't hold a baby or small child while cooking.

Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove every time you cook.

Block access to the stove as much as possible. (It's a good idea to install a
stove lock and stove knob locks.)

Don't warm baby bottles in a microwave. The liquid may heat unevenly, resulting
in pockets of hot breast milk or formula that can scald a baby's mouth.

Keep hot drinks and foods out of reach of children.

Avoid using tablecloths or large placemats. A small child can pull on them and
overturn a hot drink or plate of food.

Unplug all kitchen appliances when not in use and keep cords far from reach.

Make sure to use cabinet locks on cabinets containing cleaning products. Many
can cause burns. Always store cleaning products in their original containers, never
in milk or plastic jugs.

Outside/In the Car

Don't use fireworks or sparklers.

Use playground equipment carefully.
If it's very hot outside, use the equipment only in the morning, after it's had a
chance to cool down during the night.

Remove your child's safety seat or stroller from the hot sun when not in use because
kids can get burns from hot vinyl and metal. If you must leave your car seat or stroller
in the sun, cover it with a blanket or towel.

Before leaving your parked car on a hot day, hide the seatbelts' metal latch plates
in the seats to prevent the sun from hitting them directly.

Don't forget the sunscreen when going outside. Use a product with an SPF of 15
or higher. Apply sunscreen 20-30 minutes before going out and reapply every 2 hours
or more often if in water.

Keep infants under 6 months out of the sun.

Be Prepared

If you have young kids in your home, childproof as much as you can. Get down on
your hands and knees in every room of your house to see things as kids do. Be aware
of your child's surroundings and what could be dangerous.

Of course, childproofing shouldn't take the place of parental supervision. Keeping
an eye on kids is the best way to prevent accidents.